Monica’s Blog

What Does ObamaCare and the Titanic Have in Common? Answer: “Glitches”

October 21st, 2013

Every December the press reports words that we’ve used so much the preceding twelve months that they essentially sum up the events of the year.

I’m willing to bet money that “glitches” makes this year’s list.

From the Obama administration to the mainstream media, everyone is describing the problems with the rollout of ObamaCare as fraught with “glitches.” Either the meaning of the word has changed or we really need to come up with a better word to describe a website where you can’t even successfully log on.

Forgive me for once again dragging out the dictionary, but if there was ever a time that the word the administration is using doesn’t fit the facts of what is going on, now appears to be the time.

According to the dictionary, a “glitch’ is “a minor malfunction, mishap, or technical problem, a snag.” Using our understanding of basic grammar, we can conclude that a group of such “minor malfunctions” constitute the plural “glitches.”

Given the importance of a website a majority of the entire country must use lest they be fined or taxed (according to the Supreme Court) I tried all morning to think of a comparable high profile product where “glitches” (using the Obama administrations’ interpretation of the term) lead to a serious problem.

Off the top of my head, I could only come up with one.

RMS Titanic.

For those who missed the movie, the rollout for the Titanic was a huge deal back in 1912. White Star Line, owner of the fleet of ships which included the Titanic, advertised it as “practically unsinkable.” It was massive and luxurious and its maiden voyage was heralded by the press in both the United States and Europe.

So when an iceberg tore a 90 meter gash through the hull in the early hours of April 15, 1912, many people were shocked. How could the unsinkable ship sink?

One hundred years of scientific discovery and investigation basically concludes that a few “glitches” as President Obama might call them lead to the catastrophe.

For one thing, a major design flaw in the sixteen independent watertight compartments became evident when five of them were breached by the iceberg. That was probably the biggest “glitch.” A shortage of lifeboats was also problematic when the passengers sought refuge from the sinking ship. This was a “glitch” which would later be remedied by changes to subsequent maritime laws.

Because 1,500 people died in the sinking of the Titanic, it is regarded as one of the greatest maritime disasters in history.

Comparing the “glitches” in the rollout of the ObamaCare website to the “glitches” that sank the Titanic might seem disproportionate. After all, no one has died from not being able to buy mandatory insurance on the ObamaCare website . . . at least not yet.